PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1806484
PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1806484
Rural tourism involves travel experiences focused on the unique culture, traditions, and natural landscapes of rural areas. It includes activities such as farm stays, agritourism, and nature walks, offering visitors a chance to experience the authentic lifestyle and heritage of the countryside. This type of tourism highlights sustainability, the preservation of rural heritage, and genuine interactions with local communities.
The primary categories within the rural tourism market are agro-tourism, farm tourism, wilderness and forest tourism, green tourism, and eco-tourism. Agro-tourism integrates tourism with agricultural activities, enabling visitors to participate in farm experiences, learn about farming practices, and enjoy local produce in a rural environment. Accommodations in this sector include farm stays, cottage rentals, eco-lodges, and homestays, catering to various age groups from under 15 years to above 55. Travelers in rural tourism include adventure seekers, cultural enthusiasts, eco-tourists, family and group travelers, and solo travelers.
Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report's Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.
The sudden escalation of U.S. tariffs and the resulting trade tensions in spring 2025 are significantly affecting the recreation sector, especially in the supply of imported sports gear, outdoor equipment, and leisure products. Manufacturers and retailers are grappling with increased costs for goods like bicycles, camping supplies, fitness equipment, and gaming consoles-many of which rely heavily on international supply chains with few domestic alternatives. Small recreational retailers are particularly vulnerable, with some cutting back on stock or raising prices to manage shrinking profit margins. Event organizers and recreational venues are also experiencing rising costs for imported materials and equipment. In response, the industry is shifting toward suppliers in non-tariff regions, boosting local procurement efforts, and advocating for tariff exemptions on widely used recreational goods.
The rural tourism market research report is one of a series of new reports from The Business Research Company that provides rural tourism market statistics, including the rural tourism industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with rural tourism market share, detailed rural tourism market segments, market trends, and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the rural tourism industry. These rural tourism market research reports deliver a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenarios of the industry.
The rural tourism market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $97.84 billion in 2024 to $104.91 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.2%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to growth in agricultural tourism, rise in cultural heritage interest, increase in popularity of pilgrimage routes, growth in post-industrial tourism, and rise in environmental awareness.
The rural tourism market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $139.58 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.4%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing eco-tourism, rise in digital connectivity, increasing interest in health and wellness, increasing demand for authentic experiences, and growing remote work opportunities. Major trends in the forecast period include integration of smart technology for enhanced visitor experiences, adoption of eco-friendly and sustainable tourism practices, focus on digital marketing and social media promotion, adoption of personalized and customizable travel packages, and development of niche travel experiences such as agritourism and wellness retreats.
The forecast of 7.4% growth over the next five years reflects a slight reduction of 0.2% from the previous projection. This reduction is primarily due to the impact of tariffs between the US and other countries. Tariffs on farm equipment, rural transportation vehicles, and agri-tourism infrastructure components may dampen rural tourism growth potential. The effect will also be felt more widely due to reciprocal tariffs and the negative effect on the global economy and trade due to increased trade tensions and restrictions.
The growing interest in cultural heritage is anticipated to drive the expansion of the rural tourism market. Cultural heritage encompasses the traditions, customs, monuments, artifacts, and practices inherited from past generations that define a community's historical identity and cultural legacy. This increased interest is fueled by factors such as enhanced global connectivity, which enables individuals to explore and appreciate diverse cultures, a heightened awareness of the need to preserve historical sites and traditions, and a greater demand for authentic travel experiences that connect visitors with local histories and communities. By offering unique historical and traditional experiences, cultural heritage tourism contributes to preserving local customs and boosting the rural economy. For example, in September 2023, the Department for Communities (DfC), a UK-based government agency, reported that nearly 59% of adults in Northern Ireland visited a historic site in 2022-23, a slight increase from 2021. Consequently, the rising interest in cultural heritage is expected to stimulate the rural tourism market.
Leading companies in the rural tourism market are focusing on utilizing innovative solutions, such as digital platforms, to enhance collaboration and visibility for rural tourism. Digital platforms offer greater exposure and access to remote destinations, facilitate online bookings, and promote local experiences to a broader audience. For instance, in January 2024, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), a Spain-based non-profit entity, launched a new digital platform called TourismConnectsRural. This platform aims to improve collaboration among prominent tourism villages worldwide, connecting around 200 rural destinations globally and fostering communication and knowledge exchange among these communities.
In May 2024, Holidu, a Germany-based vacation rental company, acquired Clubrural for an undisclosed amount. This acquisition is intended to enhance the experience for both hosts and guests by integrating Clubrural's 28,000 vacation homes and apartments into Holidu's platform. This strategic move is set to broaden Holidu's market presence and create growth opportunities, reflecting the company's commitment to advancing the rural vacation rental market. Clubrural is a Spain-based travel platform that promotes and facilitates rural tourism by providing information on rural accommodations, activities, and destinations.
Major companies operating in the rural tourism market are Lufthansa City Center Reiseburopartner GmbH, Marriott International Inc., Booking.com B.V., Priceline.com LLC, Expedia Group Inc., Singapore Airlines Limited, Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc., Airbnb Inc., Accor S.A., InterContinental Hotels Group, Trip.com Group Limited, TripAdvisor Inc., Condor Flugdienst GmbH, Butterfield & Robinson Inc., Wandertrails Services Private Limited, Outdooractive GmbH & Co. KG., Thrillophilia Travel Solutions Pvt.Ltd., Kipepeo, Liberty Hill Farm, Martin Randall Travel Ltd., Heartland Travel and Tours Ltd., Cape AgriTours, Cyprus Agrotourism, Meru Agro-Tour & Consultants, Soulitude
North America was the largest region in the rural tourism market in 2024. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the rural tourism market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa.
The countries covered in the rural tourism market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.
The rural tourism market includes revenues earned by entities by providing services such as guided tours, outdoor activities, local food and dining, and cultural experiences. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. Only goods and services traded between entities or sold to end consumers are included.
The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD, unless otherwise specified).
The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.
Rural Tourism Global Market Report 2025 from The Business Research Company provides strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the market.
This report focuses on rural tourism market which is experiencing strong growth. The report gives a guide to the trends which will be shaping the market over the next ten years and beyond.
Where is the largest and fastest growing market for rural tourism ? How does the market relate to the overall economy, demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward, including technological disruption, regulatory shifts, and changing consumer preferences? The rural tourism market global report from the Business Research Company answers all these questions and many more.
The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, competitive landscape, market shares, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market's historic and forecast market growth by geography.
The forecasts are made after considering the major factors currently impacting the market. These include the technological advancements such as AI and automation, Russia-Ukraine war, trade tariffs (government-imposed import/export duties), elevated inflation and interest rates.